2023 in review: July and August

Saturday 30 December 2023

While the arrival of the summer months didn’t bring similar glorious hot weather enjoyed in 2022 there was still plenty on the political and sporting agenda to keep everyone occupied.

Even though it was cooler than the previous year, the beginning of July saw Alderney impose a sprinkler ban.

A UK-led review was also launched to find out what really happened during the Occupation in the island which led to controversy after one researcher on the team referred to the local population as hostile to the dark chapter in its history.

Flying across to Guernsey, there was bad news for anyone hoping for a runway extension with Economic Development proposing that any decision on its length should be handed back to the States Trading Group after years of investigations.

But there were initial suggestions from the committee that the island could soon enjoy air links to Paris again, which was later confirmed as a twice weekly service from Aurigny between Guernsey and Charles De Gaulle airport to start in 2024.

By the end of the month, Condor's new passenger and freight ferry arrived into the island’s for berthing trials having sailed across the world from its previous home of New Zealand.

There was also the return of the Flying Christine III, St John’s ambulance boat, which by August was being called out regularly to assist emergencies. 

Just as well, with the step access to the cliff-surrounded Petit Port beach finally restored after being inaccessible for two summers. 

It wasn’t just in the air and on the sea for transport though, as the States launched a ride-hailing taxi app which saw growing use over the year.

Pictured: The ship was running theme throughout the year.

Preparations for Island Games were well underway from dinghy’s being shipped in, to road closure notifications and welcoming in the teams. 

By the second week of July the opening ceremony was completed along the Town Quay and just under a week of seemingly non-stop sporting action commenced – which saw Guernsey top the medal table. 

You can read a full look-back at all the trials and tribulations of Guernsey 2023 in a special report HERE.  

Following the successful and highly popular Games, Education, Sport & Culture said it was committed to funding sports and activity. Within weeks it u-turned on a position to discontinue funding for the Guernsey Sports Commission and instead proposed funding the scheme for rest of the decade.  

The legacy of the Games appeared instant with the launch announcement of the Green Lionesses to develop the local women’s game and work beginning on the major project to create a dedicated home for local football on Victoria Avenue.  

By early August there was more good news for the plight of local football, with Guernsey professional Alex Scott completing a dream transfer into the Premier League from Championship side Bristol. 

Unfortunately Manchester United’s Maya Le Tissier was only on standby for the Lionesses’ historic World Cup win.  

Hospitality began weighing in on the value of sports tourism, with one proposing beach volleyball as a possible draw for new visitors. This was as concerns grew in the background about the future of the Commonwealth Games with Victoria backing out of hosting in 2026 due to soaring costs.

The following month Alderney began rescoping a sports centre and swimming pool for the island, with an idea to combine it with a hub for families and children, but with a full evaluation of the build and ongoing running costs demanding further thought.  

Pictured: The Island Games drew huge crowds and had a marked impact on the interest in sport.

A major housing report was published confirming what most felt was already the case – that Guernsey housing is astronomically expensive and increasingly out of reach for many. 

The report from arc4 revealed that the islands’ housing market is in systemic failure, with average prices being the highest in western Europe and outstripping earnings sixteen times. 

It recommended a joined-up approach to encourage new units of housing through a series of tax incentives and penalties, introduce build-to-let developments and ring fence those to protect the rental market, and strengthen landlord and tenant rights.  

The situation was reaffirmed shortly after with the property bulletin published in August showing that while average house prices fell slightly, they remained at record highs with the rental sector continuing to climb in price.  

There was a call for future States’ to include key worker housing in projections for future housing needs, and within weeks the States confirmed the purchase of a prime site to be redeveloped for health staff close to the hospital but with the warning that more would be needed.  

A specialist housing development got the go ahead at L’Islet through a public-private partnership. Later Health’s plan for nurses homes on a hospital field hit a stumbling block at the end of August with more details requested by planning to support the application over other sites.  

A row also brewed over the decision to give protected status to parts of the Castel hospital, which incensed some senior deputies who viewed the site as prime for bulldozing and private housing, suggesting it should be rezoned under planning laws to allow that to happen.

Policy & Resources soon revealed its hopes to publicly invest in the Bridge to ensure housing projects could come forward and be protected by flood defences. The idea appears to have broad political support but deputies are still yet to debate and approve the multi-million-pound funding for it.

Pictured: July proved to be sport and housing heavy.

In other news progress was being made to right wrongs at St Sampsons High School after it received a scathing Ofsted report, and the yearly ritual of A-level, IB, and GCSE results soon followed.

The reporting of results was somewhat fumbled as averages and the overall picture had to be republished after students tore open their envelopes. It also revealed a worrying trend for maths results amongst students which saw ESC put specialist resources into improving these grades going forward.

The decision to close Herm School heated up politically with a group of politicians demanding it be reopened and a special debate set for September - the resumption of parliament after the summer break - to make their case.

The Chamber of Commerce launched its campaign for better business banking after growing issues for small and medium sized businesses having their accounts withdrawn at short notice.

Economic Development recognised the issue and promised action over the coming years to improve the situation.

And Guernsey Ports proposed large hikes in airport and marina fees to help prop up its sliding financial position after covid.